Yamaha R1 electric version in the works?

- Yamaha files patent application for battery cooling system

- Patent shows a bike with the R1-like chassis

Yamaha could be working on an electric version of its much-hallowed sportbike, the YZF R1, as per an online report. Yamaha has filed a patent for a battery pack cooling system which sits in a frame that visually resembles that of the R1, an iconic motorcycle that will soon be discontinued.

The patent application gives a glimpse of the overall structure of the frame along with the positioning of the battery pack. The electric motorcycle employs a tubular space frame with the battery being the load-bearing member partially. Yamaha has also used aluminium plates for the drivetrain which act as engine and swingarm bearings. A gearbox drives the rear wheel via a chain.

Now, the innovation seems to be the presence of cooling plates which are flushed with water for taking the heat away from the group of eight cell modules. The cooling plates form a double H with the frame and they are easy to replace. Considering the high-performance nature of the propulsion system, this cooling module should prove efficient. This electric motorcycle will be powered by a battery pack as big as 20kWh.

While the overall chassis looks similar to that of the R1, Yamaha might have used it only for demonstration purpose. The suspension setup looks too simple for a proper sportbike as it is mounted directly onto the swingarm. Also, it’s strange to see Yamaha not designing the battery pack as a chassis itself, something that has been observed in Ducati and LiveWire performance electronic motorcycles. So, whether this is an electric R1 or just a battery cooling tech for some other bike, only time will tell.

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